The Marksman January 2019 Issue by The Marksman

Dear Readers, It gives us immense pleasure to present before you the January Edition 2019 of our glorious Marksman. We have put together a wide range of interesting articles that would help broaden your perspectives of marketing. We have, in this issue, an interview with Ms. Prachi Dawar, Co-founder and Director of Conference Production at QnA International, a Dubai based B2B Event Management company, . We extend our thanks to Ms. Dawar for her valuable insights. Today‟s consumers and business decision makers are becoming less and less susceptible to sales promise and advertising banner, now more than ever, people strive to invest in a brand‟s narrative or story.. Our cover story for this edition, “Storytelling Marketing” highlights how Storytelling Marketing has successfully enabled brands in gaining consumer‟s recognition and connecting with them. Tim Sweeney- The man who became an overnight sensation due to the extreme popularity of Fortnite, the iconic Battle Royale game. Hearty congratulations to the winner of this month‟s Call for Articles, Swati Gupta from IIM Raipur. We would also like to applaud the work of Deepak Rawtani from KJ SIMSR who is the runner up this month. It gives us. We are overwhelmed by the response that we have received from all of you and encourage you to write to us with the same enthusiasm. We would also like to hear back from our esteemed readers on how you find our January edition. We value your feedback as it helps us to constantly improve. Enjoy Reading !! Stay with us on https://theinterfacesimsr.com/magazine/

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JANUARY EDITION

INDEX Tweets

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x;s All About Ad-itude

Marketing Faux Pas

Cover Story

Pioneer

Special Story

Brand Markive

Bookworm

Hall-Mark Campaign

Kickstart

Featured Article

Square Head

Industry Expert

Special Feature

TWEETS - Dhruv Paliwal

If not NASA, MoonPie will Take the Charge MoonPie, a popular confection across United States, especially Southern United States, might be a 102 years old brand but when it comes at engaging its customers it is as savvy as new digital age brands. When NASA Moon, the official account about Earth‟s Moon, announced that they won‟t be tweeting or responding to replies during the Government Shutdown last year in the Month of January, MoonPie took the charge in the most hilarious way.

“This Tweet attracted a great deal of interactions with 8.3k retweets and 47k likes. This tweet not only encapsulates witty and hilarious way of interacting with netizens but also personified itself with real time interactions”

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TWEETS

And Mumbai Police Does It Again! An analogy space time fabric and gravity is one many tweets promoting Cyber security

In order to make netizens aware of “gravity” of cyber security, Mumbai Police has started promoting #CyberSecurity in the nerdiest way possible. Together with providing security on the streets of Mumbai and campaigning for “Road Safety”, Mumbai Police took the task of promoting importance of password protection, about which most people don‟t bother.

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IT’S ALL ABOUT AD-ITUDE -YASH WAGH

TELEVISION AD Gillette has become the latest brand to take on challenging social issues with a commercial that has drawn swift criticism for what some view to be heavy-handed messaging about bad male behaviour. But in the weeks since the debut of its “toxic masculinity” ad, the company‟s sales have been holding steady while the controversy around it has dimmed from a red-hot conflagration to a constructive conversation about the messaging. The ad, which tackles bullying, sexual harassment, the #MeToo movement and even “mansplaining,” asks the question, “Is this the best a man can get?” It‟s a play on the enduring Gillette slogan that generations of TV watchers grew up with. The ad has garnered more 25 million views on YouTube since it was posted on January 13, and parent company Procter & Gamble said Wednesday that sales of the iconic razors are at pre-ad levels, while its subscription business is growing. That‟s the best a brand can hope for when launching a risky marketing campaign, experts said. While the professors offered praise for the ad, there has been a social media backlash. Detractors have denounced Gillette‟s approach as preachy and inauthentic, a desperate attempt to gain sales in the face of increased pressure from low-cost competitors Harry‟s and Dollar Shave Club. The ad dovetails with current events and is an entry point for deeper discussion about shifting gender roles and gender identify.

“I think they are acknowledgi ng these are current times and these are current issues about which their consumers are interested in and have opinions about.”

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IT’S ALL ABOUT AD-ITUDE

PRINT AD Early last year, an ad agency approached Jonas Hansson, product manager for Mercene Labs in Stockholm, to see if he could create a quite unorthodox advertisement for Ikea: a magazine ad that asked pregnant women to pee on the page to reveal a discount for a crib. The ad debuted last month in the Swedish magazine Amelia, and prompted a flurry of media coverage. The ad uses technology similar to that of over-the-counter pregnancy tests. But it‟s also more than that, and it could potentially lead to better tools for diagnosing certain types of heart disease.

“This ad isn‟t any „grosser‟ than taking an ordinary pregnancy test, really,” -Åkestam Holst art directors Evelina Rönnung and Hugo Wallmo

Not everyone was a fan of the print ad, with Marcel Sydney copywriter Grace O'Brien saying it's PR-friendly, but not practical. "An initial viewing of Ikea‟s latest work provokes excitement for what is, in theory, a great idea," she says. "But upon a re-watch, I can‟t help but imagine a customer standing in Ikea Tempe clutching a pee-stained piece of paper and think, maybe they haven‟t thought this all the way through.”

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FAUX PAS -MOHAK SHAH

Google: Pixel Twitter Endorsement

Technological advancement and increasing competitiven ess has left campaign managers all around the world in a dilemma

Technological advancement and increasing competitiveness has left Campaign Managers all around the world in a dilemma! The number of marketing channels is increasing every now and then, leaving the Campaign Managers with a gamut of options to go with in order to achieve their end goal, be it sales, brand awareness or even lead generation. One of the most effective channels amongst these is Twitter. Brands have over the years understood the importance of getting your product on the platform for the world to see and engage. This platform has done wonders for many brands like Wendy‟s, McDonald‟s etc who have been successful enough to engage in a „two-way communication‟ with their target market. 5 MARKSMAN

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FAUX PAS A similar attempt was recently made by Google India, trying to market their new product: Google Pixel. Google has always been known for it‟s innovative ways of standing out from the clutter, which they managed to achieve even this time around, albeit for all the wrong reasons. Google tried to demonstrate a great feature of the new product, and the following ensued: Anushka Sharma, who‟s the brand ambassador of Google Pixel, tweeted out a cute picture of herself petting a dog. Sounds normal, right? Wrong. Anushka started raking in thousands of favourites and retweets in minutes, but from trolls, not fans. She had tweeted this Pixel-shot picture using her iPhone and the tweet showed the information that said „via Twitter for iPhone‟. This was a huge blunder on Anushka and Google‟s end, giving an edge and a talking point to their biggest competitors in such fashion. This is a Faux Pas every company should try to avoid. But this is not the only instance where such an incident took place! Gal Gadot attempted endorsing a Huawei Phone through her Twitter Platform but ended up committing the same mistake Anushka did. She was severely trolled too, with iPhone enjoying all the free publicity it kept getting through their competitors.

This was a huge blunder on Anushka and Google‟s end, giving an edge and a talking point to their biggest competitors in such fashion

Marketers keep looking for out-of-the-box ideas and innovative ways to endorse their products, and forget about the simple bits in the process. It‟s high time the marketers got their basics right before trying out high level concepts! MARKSMAN

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COVER STORY STORY-TELLING MARKETING

- AMAN PANDEY

Why is content so important in marketing? Content is something which provides us with weight by our side to show and communicate the potential of the brand which is being promoted. Content too has many forms and story is something which let us connect our brand with potential costumers. The stories behind the brand or a marketing campaign educate the consumer about its potential costumers about the origin of its purpose. The brand story is an indispensable part of brand personality. It can bring a brand alive communicating in an ongoing journey that each newcomer can join and understand.

“Storytelling marketing has successfully enabled brands in gaining consumer‟s recognition and connecting with them.”

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COVER STORY

It is something which can connect a consumer to a brand, because of its own power and the potential brand story tells the journey of how the brand is carrying from the starting to a point where it can connect with the customers. Great stories don‟t count themselves, great stories spread because they‟re convincing. People don‟t by the product or a Brand by looking at what it does but by looking at why it does and what differentiates it from other brands. Because every story of how you are connected to your favourite brand...MATTERS

The audience will never tune in to watch anything if they did not feel connected to it they did not give importance to it if it is conveyed without any story, Story creates a sense of belonging to the audience.

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COVER STORY

Storytelling is something which does not have defined rules or Price regulations. It is not a process method or technique but art, the art of communicating and delivering. It isn‟t something which is trial free. It is a trial and error process of mastery. Stories make us mature and make us feel connected and influence us in a positive direction same goes with the brand, when a brand becomes transparent and authentic it helps consumers to connect with them and the people behind them. Tapping into individuals‟ emotions and baring both good and bad is how people connect and motivate. Storytelling creates a sense of authenticity and fosters the sense of loyalty. Creating a narrative around a brand not only humanizes it but also promotes the business. Marketing teams of different companies use storytelling to connect with their audience.

“Great stories don‟t contradict themselves, Great stories spread because they‟re true .”

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COVER STORY

“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if we only seek them with our eyes open”

Travel blogging is a beautiful example of storytelling marketing, there‟s no better marketer than a travel blogger, they way they narrate and convey their message with the adventure and emotion it creates a different connection with the reader. It is a difficult task to create a story that remains relevant to the business. A story can persuade a viewer of the viewpoint to explain in it, it can make the audience feel invested in the mission and relate the tale to their own personal experiences. Adding real-life examples strengthen the connection the reader feels with the story they read.

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COVER STORY

AirBnB is a beautiful example of companies who included travel bloggers in their marketing team and used storytelling marketing as a tool to market their business and connect with the consumers better.

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COVER STORY

These days 10 years challenge is trending, and every brand used this opportunity to narrate a story about the change, though the campaign only showed a picture one is a present and other is 10 years old, but the difference conveyed a story about how the brand has matured in a decade and how the adventurous the journey was.

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COVER STORY

This year in Diwali campaigns brands has incorporated emotional marketing in the narration of their story to strike a chord within the human conscience. Storytelling marketing with an emotional connect push consumers to purchase when they are stuck contemplating. It also creates a brand recall as these stories are often shared in social media. Such campaigns tell us that human connections can never be replaced by anything in marketing.

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PIONEER -

Parag Chauhan

Tim Sweeney Sweeney is well known amongst his peers for his contributions to the gaming domain and now he is out to prove that we can make believable Digital Human Beings, isnâ&#x20AC;&#x;t that great?

In July of 2017, a game called FORTNITE created a storm all over the world, everyone from small aged kids, rappers, professional athletes and middle-age accountants to hugely popular celebrities were hooked on to it, a new era in the gaming domain was being created. The man responsible for that storm is well known and respected among tech-people but apart from them most of the people around the world wouldn't even know his name, Tim Sweeney. As Fortnite continued soaring with around 200 million registered players, the star of Sweeney started shining brighter so much that he was ranked at number 194(Net worth of $7.4 Billion) in this year's list of world's 500 richest people as per Bloomberg. Tim was born in December 1970 as third child of the Sweeney family in Potomac, Maryland. From a very young age he was attracted towards game development and computer programming.

Tim created several rudimentary games while he was pursuing engineering at university of Maryland, but he got his breakthrough via ZZT an arcade game in 1989, Tim sold 3-4 copies a day earning about 100 dollars. Eyeing the potential and growth of gaming industry, Tim founded Potomac Computer Systems (rebranded as EPIC GAMES) in 1991. It was via Epic Games, Sweeney created his most successful gaming program called Unreal Engine, used by some of world's biggest games like Assassin's creed, WWE Immortals. Sweeney has been awarded AIAS hall of fame trophy as well as GDC lifetime achievement award for his impeccable contributions to the gaming domain and the legend of Sweeney will keep on growing as he embarks upon his next ground breaking creation, BELIEVABLE DIGITAL HUMANS !!

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SPECIALSTORY STORY SPECIAL -MALVIKA YADAV WINTER IS HERE : WHITE WALKER Johnnie Walker, in a winning move, rolled out its Game of Thrones-inspired limited edition Scotch whisky named White Walker recently. This can be seen as a successful attempt at putting the limited edition marketing strategy to play. The whisky has been unveiled just ahead of the last and the final season of the fiction show Game of Thrones. The timing can be considered perfect for this theme-based whisky keeping in mind the huge fan following that the show has amassed and the anticipation that the fan base has for the eighth and the last season that‟s due to release this year. Johnnie Walker, in collaboration with HBO, launched White Walker and made it available to the whole world in October 2018. Jeff Peters, Vice President, Licensing & Retail at HBO said: “We knew there was fan appetite for a Game of Thrones whisky and once we saw the vision from Johnnie Walker for a way to collaborate we knew the idea was perfect and the time was now. From the beginning, they understood that we wanted to create something special, and they‟ve accomplished that with White Walker by Johnnie Walker. We‟re confident fans will enjoy sipping this delicious whisky as they wait for season eight and beyond.” This turned out just as he had predicted.

“We knew there was fan appetite for a Game of Thrones whisky and once we saw the vision from Johnnie Walker for a way to collaborate we knew the idea was perfect and the time was now.”

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SPECIAL STORY

“Whiskies from Clynelish have endured long, Scottish winters, not dissimilar to the long periods endured by the Night‟s Watch who have ventured north of the wall - so it was the perfect place to start when creating this unique whisky.”

Limited edition strategy is an unpredictable tool when it comes to marketing. It also has been one of the favourites in the line of luxury products. The product is customised and loaded with a variety of features and attributes for the premium customers. This strategy is used to create a sense of exclusivity among the audience that it caters to. There also exists a feeling of immediacy as the product is limited and produced in specific quantity and/or for a specific time. When talking about White Walker, the first thing we notice is the amount of thought and planning that has been put into the whole process to make it appealing to the consumer base. From the point of creation to the design of the bottles, the fans are provided with a feel of the show and the mystifying characters that it is named after – The White Walkers. It is created in the northern-most distilleries of Scotland. George Harper, whisky specialist at Johnnie Walker, says - “Whiskies from Clynelish have endured long, Scottish winters, not dissimilar to the long periods endured by the Night‟s Watch who have ventured north of the wall - so it was the perfect place to start when creating this unique whisky.”

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SPECIAL STORY Another aspect of this innovative edition is the packaging and the bottling. It is said about this whisky that it tastes best when it is served chill. The bottling aims at bringing out the chills of the Frozen North (where the theme is set). This is achieved by designing the bottle in icy and blue designs. Then the Johnnie Walker‟s logo, The Strident Man can be seen wearing an armour to represent the army of the White Walkers. The creation of this fictional and personalised experience does not end here. The use of temperature sensitive ink technology in the bottles has been an icing on the cake and a major reason for the fan frenzy. The bottle reveals icy graphics and the words „Winter is Here‟ when it is frozen. All this detailing in the concept and the execution has led to a successful journey for this partnership. This has had an immense impact on the sale of this limited edition by intriguing the consumers and creating a hype among the fans. Johnnie Walker also released a teaser ahead of the launch in order to excite the fans of the show about this upcoming surprise. Using limited edition marketing is said to be risky. This is because of the fact that apart from the benefits, there exists a number of factors that can take the whole venture downhill. There are a few pointers that are to be kept in mind. Limited editions are considered to be expensive, both for the producers and the customers. This is because of the small volume of production. The use of temperature sensitive ink technology in the bottles has been an icing on the cake and a major

reason for the fan frenzy. The bottle reveals icy graphics and the words „Winter is Here‟ when it is

frozen. 17 MARKSMAN

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SPECIAL STORY Secondly, the quality of the product should not be lost in the creation of the thematic experience for it. Quality can never be replaced. Also, the customers are left feeling dissatisfied and cheated if the limited editions are not taken out of production after a specified period of time. This kills the buzz of the product and decreases its demand significantly. It can be clearly seen that Johnnie Walker has taken due note of all the points mentioned above and emerged victorious in terms of both customer satisfaction as well as profits. The fans are going head over heels with the beautifully crafted theme and the way they have not lost sight of the quality and the taste is really commendable. The price is also set at a level where it instils a sense of exclusivity amongst the consumers and is also within the reach of the pockets of a majority of the fans. Way Forward: With the success of White Walker, the parent company of Johnnie Walker, Diageo has plans to launch more variations in the Game of Thrones inspired line of Scotch whiskeys. It has already released the first glimpse of the range as can be seen below.

With the success of White Walker, the parent company of Johnnie Walker, Diageo has plans to launch more variations in the Game of Thrones inspired line of Scotch whiskeys.

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BRAND MARKIVE -AISHWARYA JAIN

ONE PLUS: STORY UNFOLDED We are familiar with OnePlus and its wide range of OnePlus phones that have been launched over the past four years. The company has been tagged as the „flagship-killer‟, which offers high-end smartphone features without breaking the bank. One Plus set out on a Mission to Build “The Perfect Smartphone”. When OnePlus One was launched, it was a big success. The reasons behind this are obvious, even if they are not so easy for companies to follow or implement. The success of OnePlus in the Indian market has been due to its relentless focus on delivering the best possible phone at prices that are quite affordable.

The saga of brand OnePlus in India includes more than just one or two great phones. It's a story of near flawless execution and Zen-like focus.

“During our early days, around the launch of OnePlus One, we weren‟t sure how many people wanted to buy a phone from a brand which had just entered the space. As things turned out, the demand for our first product exceeded expectations, which is why the invite model worked for us. ” – Pete Lau (Founder) In 2018, One Plus was the market leader with 40% of the market share, ahead of Samsung and Apple. The saga of the brand OnePlus in India includes more than just one or two great phones. It's a story of near-flawless execution and Zen-like focus. The story starts with some sales data OnePlus collected even before it had entered India. OnePlus has focused on making devices that feature everything that a consumer wants. They even resort to social media for opinion polls on features, and whether OnePlus should offer these features. For instance, they regularly check with the consumers on its forum and Twitter to know if they should retain or remove the audio jack, which Apple and Google have done recently. 19 MARKSMAN

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BRAND MARKIVE

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We will create a more beautiful and higher quality product. We will never be different just for the sake of being different.â&#x20AC;? Given how OnePlus has, so far, tackled the early supply and demand issues, kept quality intact, handled feedback with grace, accepted mistakes and fixed them, the future looks bright for the next chapter in the brand One Plus story.

As things turned out, the demand for our first product exceeded expectations, which is why the invite model worked for us.

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BOOKWORM - SAKSHI ANANDANI GAP SELLING “People don't buy from people they like. Your buyer doesn't care about you or your product. It's not your job to overcome objections; it's your buyer's.” In his book Gap Selling, Keenan has quite appropriately described methodologies that today‟s sellers should use for the 21st century buyers. Salespeople today desperately try avoiding a vortex of problems they face while selling their products to the customers. Keenan, in his typical in-the-face style, has bombarded in his book, the modern day tactics for the sales guys, so they know how to play the sales game well and win at every level of it. Keenan has made a diligent attempt to make us understand how properly determining the gap drives the entire sales process. From addressing hurdles to handling cut throat competition and negotiating prices to overcome objections by customers, Gap Selling is an excellent book for today‟s salespeople. The book portrays a vivid description of the concept of inbound and outbound selling. Keenan explains how buyers are obsessed with selling only to earn for them and from a company perspective. They seldom focus on a customer-centric approach, and those who do are the marvels of sales and marketing. From addressing blockers to handling competition and negotiating prices to overcome objections, Gap Selling is an excellent book for today‟s salespeople. 21 MARKSMAN

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The salespeople need to understand the customer perspective and tailor their sales pitch according to the customer‟s wants and needs. If the salespeople follow this sales tactic, they can easily get the customers to say yes. This is how, in his peculiar way, Keenan has brought out the strategies to make the sales people understand the game of selling.

Buyers are motivated by their own selfish means and hence the need of the hour is to ameliorate the sales tactics in today‟s world, so as to capture the attention of the buyers and get a yes from them. Thus, the book is a complete guide to fix the hole in the sales education and win the sales game right

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HALL-MARK CAMPAIGN - ANURADHA IYER

TITAN RAGA - #FlauntYourFlaws Titan Raga's campaign talks about breaking stereotypes and looks upon a new topic every time that appeals to a larger audience. Its brand conversion campaign „Khudse Naya Rishta‟ celebrates the women's ability to embrace who she is, Titan Raga‟s latest TV Commercial, this time around questions the „ideal‟ of beauty. How a woman accepts every bit of herself and how she doesn‟t believe in the world‟s definition of „beautiful‟ or „flawless‟. She believes her beauty is a belief that starts with being comfortable in her own skin. The campaign encourages women to wear their scars with pride and flaunt their (supposed) imperfections with absolute confidence and grace. It wishes to recognize these beautiful women and the beauty that exists in these „imperfections‟.

The campaign encourages women to wear their scars with pride and flaunt their (supposed) imperfections with absolute confidence and grace.

Suparna Mitra, Chief Marketing Officer of Titan Watches said that, "The beauty of a woman does not lie in a societal imposed idea of perfection, but rather, in the acceptance of her unique beauty. 'I Am' designs bring to life the asymmetry and unpredictability abound in nature. It embodies the true spirit of individuality, a fitting tribute to the woman of today." 23 20 MARKSMAN

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HALL-MARK CAMPAIGN

The scar/marks of the womenâ&#x20AC;&#x;s body represent their hardwork, triumph and passion. And they should be worn with pride.

Azazul Haque, Chief Creative Officer of Ogilvy adds "Titan Raga has always celebrated women and has always questioned stereotypical thinking.â&#x20AC;? He also mentions that it questions stereotyping of beauty like why are pregnancy marks treated as flaws and not celebrated? Why do dark circles need make-up to cover them up? This campaign brings in awareness and encourages women to flaunt their flaws and not hide them because every part of them is beautiful. Every mark, every scar, every wrinkle is beautiful. And Titan Raga celebrates that beauty. Mahesh Gharat, Chief Creative Officer of Ogilvy, says that "Titan Raga celebrates women for who they are through this campaign and challenges the idea of beauty that often shows flawless perfection that is not possible for every women to attain and highlights the beauty of her achievements. The scar marks of a mother, a breast cancer survivor, an army officer or a performer are a result of their achievements and hard work. They represent their triumph and passion. And they should be worn with pride."

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KICKSTART - ROHAN MENDON

BYJU‟S- THE LEARNING APP Our recent lectures on entrepreneurship management, made me spawn a deep interest in the world of startups. It‟s not easy to start, but once you have set your goals straight and work towards them with brevity, you don‟t want to end, ever. One such startup that established itself successfully in the nation was the online tutorial firm, Byju‟s. This company managed to mark its place among the plethora of organizations in the same industry. The only difference being, Byju‟s exist in the digital world. Byju‟s today is one of the most followed online educational sites not only in India, but globally. Originally named as Think and Learn Private Ltd, it is famously known as Byju‟s- The Learning App, popularly named after its founder.

It was founded in 2011 by Byju Raveendran. Originally named as Think and Learn Private Ltd, it is famously known as Byju‟s- The Learning App, popularly named after its founder. Their flagship product was launched in August 2015, a Smartphone app. They not only cater to students from primary to high school with rich educational content but also train students who appear for major competitive exams like IITJEE, IAS, CAT, NEET as well as for international exams like GRE and GMAT. Unlike other sites that use Microsoft OneNote and other platforms to illustrate their teachings or stick to the old school blackboard/whiteboard method, Byju‟s uses digital animations and moving illustrations in their short videos so that students are able to conceptualize and strengthen their subject roots. 25 MARKSMAN

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KICKSTART They have a whopping 15 million users all over the world. Thanks to its innovative advertiseme nts, almost the whole country knows about Byju‟s. They have a whopping 15 million users all over the world and around 9 lakh paid subscribers annually. Most of their videos require a paid subscription but despite that they have a retention rate of 90%. Thanks to its innovative advertisements, almost the whole country knows about Byju‟s. They are currently among the top 30 startups in India and have an annual revenue of over 50 million. With this magnanimous response from the audience, Byju‟s only hopes to grow bigger and diverge into more categories of teaching.

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FEATURED ARTICLE

There are broadly three areas where consumer buying experience can be improved via AR and VR. The first, acquisition, with experiential marketing being the buzzword for marketers, immersive experiences can be created, in store navigation, product trials, customizing offers and discounts on the spot is possible through these technologies. Second, conversion, in store engagements, remote expert consultations, resolving customer queries will lead to rapid customer conversion. Last, retention, behavioral nudges, offers, etc. can be achieved through AR and VR. In fact, these technologies will change consumer behavior along the entire purchase journey. Consider the following areas: 1.In store experience The entire store experience can be created by integrating AR or VR into the apps. For example, consider the Loreal Makeup Genius app. This app lets you select your product and see how it suits you.

2.Customization For industries where product customization is both important and at the same time, difficult, these technologies prove to be a boon. For example, in the paint industry where each customer has his/her reservations about the dĂŠcor of their room, AR helps them visualize how the color will finally look. 3.Experiential VR campaigns Many organizations are creating experiential VR campaigns to help customers experience their services while at home. 29 MARKSMAN

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FEATURED ARTICLE

This can prove to be a major step ahead of competitors, especially in the hospitality and services-based industry where customer conversion and repeat purchases only occur after first time experiences.

4.Theatre-style immersion experience : 360-degree video streaming achieves immersion experiences for consumers. For example, in the entertainment industry, this will help a viewer to enjoy a live football match at the ease of his home.VR headsets have been rolled out by major airlines. 5.Virtual Stores With e-tailers on rise, we see the entire consumer purchase journey being simplified, from selection to deliveries, the only constraint being try-ons. AR and VR are giving rise to virtual stores where customers can try on a product before buying it. Lenskart is one of the firsts to offer these services through their website in India. It wouldn‟t be an exaggeration to say that the entire retail landscape is about to change drastically in the coming years. With AR and VR removing most constraints that come while online and offline shopping, things are going to get increasingly easier and convenient for buyers. Marketers, as they say- “Customer is the king”, need to be increasing agile and receptive, not only to the changing customer needs but also to the changing technologies.

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FEATURED ARTICLE

item. Point of Purchase: Boost Sales A)Virtual dressing rooms AR apps make shopping for apparel easier. Dressing Room by Gap allow customers to select an Apparel from the virtual shelf and then choose their clothing size. An ARgenerated model tries on the clothing and can be rotated 36â °, allowing the customer to get a better idea of how the clothes will fit.

B) Immersive Retail Starbucks flagship Roastery in Shanghai is using the power of AR to transform the retail experience.Visitors use their smartphone to unlock fun visuals, gather information about products, and even learn about the roasting process. Thus, a whole version of customer involvement. Post-Sale support: Solidify the brand-customer relationship A) Self-service support Brands are tapping into powerful AR-based self-service for upping their post-sales service game. Using a smartphone, customers can access the product related FAQs, manuals and training material displayed in an AR overlay. B)Technical support The agent-customer interactions during technical support calls can be eliminated with AR-based visual support. . 34 MARKSMAN

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FEATURED ARTICLE Visual Support allows customers to hold a smartphone near the product and all parts will be identified in real time by computer vision technology. Conclusion Customer relationship is changing dramatically as consumers these days are preferring experiences over material needs. The advent of AR/VR has the potential to not only become a differentiator for organizations but also take the overall customer experience to a new level. Through Apps and Video Headsets, the two upcoming technologies can be added throughout the customer value-chain i.e. Pre-sales, Sales and Post-Sales and create a unique value proposition for both organizations and customers.

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SQUARE HEAD SQUARE HEAD -

AVISHA GANDHI

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INDUSTRY EXPERT - ALVIRA SAYED

MS. PRACHI DAWAR Cofounder and Director of Conference Production at QnA International, a Dubai based B2B Event Management company, Ms. Dawar has a vibrant personality and she has been in the industry for over a decade now. The firm manages several events including MICE Arabia, a luxury travel congress, Destination Wedding Planners Congress and Trade Finance Summits. While interviewing her, I got wonderful insights on how the industry works and what the scope is for MBA aspirants in this sector. Here are the questions she addressed. Q: What does a day in your work life look like? What are your roles and responsibilities? A: As the Co Founder and Director of Conference Production at QnA, my day goes in managing different departments within the company and overall strategic planning of our events. The role of an event planner is like that of a large onion - it has many layers to it and each layer is different! You have to be a jack of all trades and the master of them all too! It is extremely important to be good at multi tasking and organising. You wear many hats ranging from being a research analyst, a marketing and PR manager, a social media associate, a sales manager and, an operations and event coordinator. Reading daily newspaper, going through industry specific newsletters delivered to my inbox on a daily basis, reading blogs, going through LinkedIn updates and posts, social media updates of competitor events and keeping abreast of clients news are all a part of my daily Routine. A large part of my role requires me to learn and adapt to the new ways of using this powerful medium to promote our events line ranging from DWP or PX show on Instagram all the way to twitter for our HR series or LinkedIn updates for our company account! I work very closely with the team to create an experience that will leave a lasting impact for the attendees and make them want to come back to our events every year! It‟s the bit which I enjoy doing the most as it‟s about creating a fresh, out of the box experience and personalising it for the attendees to make them feel special!! It‟s amazing to see the response if it works well and makes it all worthwhile!! 31 MARKSMAN

JANUARY EDITION

INDUSTRY EXPERT Q: Can you explain how a B2B event management is different from a B2C event management and what are the challenges faced? A: The biggest differentiator of a B2B event to a B2C event is the fact that the idea of B2B is to connect the buyer and seller through focused meetings or introductions whereas, in a B2C event the idea is to connect the buyer and seller through exhibition or walk-ins. The idea of a B2B event is to keep it restricted not open to public and save time and money for the two parties, however, the number of people that attend B2B events are limited. The biggest challenge of a B2B event is to identify the right buyer and connect them to the right seller - there is a stringent vetting process involved in identifying the target client and getting them on board. In case of a B2C the idea is to bring in as many people as possible and working on the probability of large scale audience will result in some sales for sure! Q: What are the opportunities for an MBA student in this sector? A: Being a MBA pass-out myself, I feel the knowledge you gain from a PG course goes a long way in building your career in a sector like B2B events. With MBA your fundamentals for business, marketing, sales are laid strong and when applied on the job are further enhanced by commercially aligning the knowledge to the roles of an event planner or marketing manager or operations coordinator. Just to give you an idea, How we use SWOT analysis for identifying the commercial viability of an event or we use marketing strategies learnt in MBA into event marketing / the McDonaldâ&#x20AC;&#x;s case study taught in your MBA is applied big time in events with packaged deals and ultimately enhancing your revenue! Q: If your have to describe you and your organization using one word each, what would they be and why? A: One word for myself: Passionate (I love what I do) One word for company : Teamwork Events are all about team work - no one person can take credit for successfully delivering an event it takes a team to deliver truly exceptional events!

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EDITION

SPECIAL FEATURE TOPLINE: DRIVING INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS BY AND FOR THE YOUTH

Topline Consulting India brings to the Indian market marking a paradigm shift in the brand communications, product marketing and service experience

MARKSMAN

With an aim to provide insight and content driven communication solutions, Topline Consulting Group has ventured into the Indian market through operational offices in Gurgaon, Mumbai and Bangalore. Headquartered in Beijing China, with a strong team of 300 professionals in its Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hangzhou and Chongqing offices, Topline Consulting has been setting the benchmark for innovative brand strategy and integrated marketing communications in China. It is this expertise and experience that Topline Consulting India brings to the Indian market marking a paradigm shift in the brand communications, product marketing and service experience for Indian customers. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x;s a univocal thought among the Group that the youth comes together through with great energy and on-point ideas that drives the future. Topline Founder and Chairman, Mr. Michael Song states that the Group maintains its relevance by being by the youth and believing in investing in the immense untapped potential that the youth hold.

OCTOBER EDITION

FEATURED ARTICLE

Among other offerings by Topline, TopView and TopSocial are the two platforms that stand out in working for the youth particularly. TopView acts a knowledge sharing platform that aims at empowering the youth of today by delivering courses that stand relevant and enriching at the same time. TopSocial, on the other hand, is the promotor of young talent by pushing for direct engagement of talented youth icons to become ambassadors of international and local brands. Topline also presents its team expertise in the trade and travel industry that creates progress opportunities for the youth. Ms Yan Han, Chairwomen, International Business with Topline Consulting Group comes with over 20 years of experience in the tourism industry notices the strong potential that Chinese tourists present for the Indian tourism sector. Emphasising on the potential of global inbound and outbound travel especially with China, Ms Han understands that the development of the Indian tourism industry has immense untapped potential and believes that Indian tourism meets a great marketing potential in China.

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OCTOBER EDITION

CALL FOR ARTICLES FOR MARKSMAN FEBRUARY 2019 "You can make anything by writing." --C.S. Lewis The Marksman provides one and all the opportunity to discover their hidden talents in the literary field through the call for articles For the upcoming month, the articles can be sent on any of the following topics:

• Marketing to Millennials • Undercover Marketing • Martech – Changing Digital Marketing * Please ensure that there is no plagiarism and all the references are clearly mentioned. Kindly follow the guidelines given below: 1. One article can have only one author. 2. Your article should be approximately 800 – 850 (strictly adhere to the word limit) 3. The article must have relevant pictures that can be used to enhance the article 4. Font Type: Gill Sans MT 5. Font Size: 14 6. Send in your articles in .doc/.docx format to marksman.simsr@somaiya.edu 7. Subject Line:Your Name_Institute Name_Course Year. 8. Kindly name your file as:Your Name_ Topic. The best adjudged article will be given a Winner‟s certificate. The First Prize Winners will be awarded Rs.500 Cash Prize. Deadline For Submission Of Article: 23rd February, 2019

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